Trying out some Philip Glass as something to listen to whilst I write. I usually go for something more electric, Portishead or Slint. I'm enjoying it in a quiet kind of way, it's a bit like Michael Nyman but less excited and less baroque. But it's no Slint.

Comments

I never picked up on Slint at the time but I've begun to appreciate them recently. But I love Nyman and Glass; both, however, tend to produce their best when somehow shackled to an external concept - film, in particular. Glass's soundtrack to "Mishima" is spellbinding (apart form the misstep of "Kyoko's House", which interestingly was also one of Mishima's less satisfactory works), and Nyman's best work was done in tandem with Greenaway and others.

My only contact with Nyman is through Greenaway and I love his stuff so much it's hard to disentangle them.

I used to listen to Slint at work and there was a particular bit in "Nosferatu Man" with a screeching noise that used to really aggravate my co-worker Jane. My headphones weren't good enough to block it and she'd give me evils from across the desk, as much as she could. She was too sweet to be really threatening. I was lucky enough to see Slint when they toured after reforming for ATP. They didn't disappoint.

I'm a bit Math Rock fan, although for years I didn't realise there was a genre to the music I listened to.

I love Glass - I have been to several concerts of his and an opera - I think using his music while writing makes sense as it can be very ambient/unobtrusive and the cyclical nature of much his music an be oddly conducive to thought (its rather good for discussing philosophy to). His early stuff can be harder to work to (though still good to discuss to) - I adore things like Einstein On The Beach but unless you can get into the right 'zone' it can drive you to distraction.